bessonette



(No Model.) 3 Sheet-sf-Sheet 1.

0.1... BESSONETTE. GIN FEED FOR ROLLER COMPRESSES.

, A -EM am VTL@ @w llllllillllllll||jl Patented Aug. 24,1897.

me mams versus co. woimumo.. w/smncfom uA c.

(No Model.) V 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. L. BESSONETTE.

GIN EEED PoE ROLLER GOMPEESSES.

No. 588,812. Patented Aug. 24,1897.

(No Model.) SSheetS-Sheet 3.

C. L. BESSONETTE. GIN FEED EUR ROLLER COMPRESSES.

No. 588,812, Patented Aug. 24,1897.

CHARLES L. ESSONETTE, OF WACO,

PATENT OFFICE.

TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES W. WHITE, OF ySAME PLACE.

GIN-FEED vFOR ROLLKER-COMPRES'SES.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part ef Letters Patent No. 588,812, dated August 24, 1897.

' Appneetiee tied March 1o, 1896.

consists in certain improved means for carrying the cotton from the gin or'gins, in cleaning the sam e, and in preparing the same until it is in the form of a bat suitable for feeding to a roller cotton-compress.

The said invention also consists in certain novel features of construction and certain novel parts and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in Which the same parts are indicated by f the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure l represents a transverse section through my improved apparatus, showing the gin-cases at one end, from which the cotton is fed to the apparatus, and a cross-section of the roller-compress in which the cotton is Wound into a cylindrical bale at the other end of the apparatus. Fig. 2 represents a section along the line 2 2 of Fig. l and looking to the left, the gauze rollers of the condenser being shown in elevation and not in section. Fig. 3 represents a section along the broken line 3 3 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the'arrows or toward the left of the said figure. Fig. et represents an end View of the condenser-chamber and the parts vimmediately connected thereto, the view being taken as seen from the right of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a section along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2 and looking to the left. Fig. 6 represents a detail view, parts being broken away, of theV roller with claws moving in and out through the periphery thereof adapted to remove the, excess of cotton from the feedingapron and at the same time to partially clean the cotton Serial No. 582.594. (No model.)

one or more gins (notshown) to the chamberB.

The number of gins and corresponding fines may be varied within Wide limits, but in ordinary practice there are preferably about eight gins of ordinary size to one roller-compress. These lues empty into the chamber vB just above the inclinedrib b, and the cotton is blown up into t-he said chamber in a uffy state. The air 'from the gin escapes through the wire-gauze screens b and the airlues B and vpipes B2, While the cotton drops down into the lower chamber Bohnd falls on the slatted carrier D.

In order to put out any lire that may occur in either of the chambers B or B0 or in any of the passages leading therefrom, steam-jetsc, leading from the steam-pipe C, open downwardin the air-pipes B2, where byl the entire apparatus may be lled with steam. Moreover, steam in limited quantities may be admitted in order to moisten thecotton in the chamber B0 or the passages connected thereto, but it will ordinarily be preferable to add any steam for moistening purposes farther along in the apparatus.

The How of steam in the pipe C is controlled Aby means of the valve c', preferably located near the press,so as to be conveniently reached `by the attendant at the compress.

The cotton from the fines A falls in a mass on the moving carrierD, which is supported on the rollers d and driven by the drum D in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Much of the dirt in the'cotton which is carried over from the gin falls through the slats of the carrier D onto the pivoted bottom plates b5, which are pivoted, as at 196, on the rock-shafts, which shafts are provided at their outer ends With cranks 197, operated by hand-rods '58. The bottom of the chamber B0 is made sloping, as at 113,110 form a bottom air-passage B4, having fiat bottoms b@ and vertical sides b4, between which the said pivoted bottom plates fit snugly. This air-passage' B4 is closed on top by means of these plates b5 land xed boards to form a closed air passagewhich is controlled by means of the damper b9. It will be seen that if one or more of these bottom plates be tilted up, as shown in Fig. l, and the damper be partly opened, as shown in dotted lines in the said figure, part of the air from the gins may be blown down through the carrier D and out through the closed air-passage B4 into the air-trunk B6, to which all the air-passages leading from the machine downward are connected. This this apron in an irregular mass to the doflingroller F, which is rotated in the direction of the arrow. This doiiing-roller is provided with aplurality of perfor-ations fo inits shell, through which project intermittently' the points or claws fg, secured to the rings F2 on the crankshaft F', which is connected by the crank f 5 to the journals f and f7, upon which journals the roller F revolves, The crankshaft is held in a tixed position by means of the squared ends fs and a suitable wrench or other equivalent device. (Not shown.)

The shat'tf is driven by the pulleyf' and is screwed into or otherwise rigidly attached to the cylinder-head f2, which is rigidly attached to the shell f3 of the roller. The other end of the shell is secured to the head f4, which is journaled on the bearngf7, and thus the whole roller is revolved,while the crank-shaft, with the teeth loose thereon, is held fast, the teeth rotating about the shaft with the shell of the cylinder and alternately projecting beyond and being drawn within the periphery of the said shell, as shown most clearlyin Fig. 7. These teeth are so arranged that they will protrude and catch in the cotton on the apron E, pressingit down between the teeth e and carrying. ott the surplus, which is dropped when the clotting-teeth are withdrawn inside'otI the dofiing-roller shell, which will happen when the said roller is revolved through about one hundred and eighty degrecs.

A flap or Wiper L2, made of leather or other material, is attached to the board L and lits close against the surface of the dofing-roller when the teeth are withdrawn, whereby any lcotton is prevented from sticking to said roller and being carried over and winding around the same. In place of a leather lflap L2 a brush may be provided, if desired.

It will be evident that the teeth e and the teeth fg, which move in opposite directions, will tend to mix and clean the cotton and to a certain extent to comb the same, while the particles of dirt combed out will drop through the apron and fall onthe inclined board 71;.

H represents the drive-shaf t, driven by any suitable source of power (not shown) and provided with pulleys, such as H', engaging in suitable belts, such as G and G', for driving the other parts of the apparatus.

In order to avoid complexity in the drawings the various mechanical means for driving the various parts are in the main omitted, as it will'be obvious that from a given driveshaft any number of other shafts may be driven in a great variety of ways well known to mechanics.

Above the roller F is a partition L, forming in reality part of the walls of the chambers B and B0, and this partition L terminates in a wire screen L3 to supply air to the fan M, which revolves between the fan-casing mand the grate-bars 7c' in the fan-chamber M. This fan rotates in the direction indicated by the arrows, and the casing m is inclined inward, as at in', so as to shoot t-he air from the fan and with it the cotton drawn from the apron up the throat N of the condenser-chamber N.

It will be seen that after the apron E passes over the upper drum the points e will be reversed aud the cotton will be readily detached therefrom by the fan M and will pass over the grate-bars 7s', through which much of the dirt remaining in the cotton will drop into the chamber K. Beyond the grate-bars the top of this chamber K is perforated, as-at k2, so that the cotton as itpasses through the throat N' of the coudenser-chamber will drop still more of its impurities through these perforations.

The condenser-throat N' and the portion inclosing the fan, apron E, and dofhng-roller F form a passage connecting the chamber B0 with the condenser.

The chamber K is shut in by the walls 7a and k3 and the bottom k, and it may be cleaned out either by an attendant coming in through the door k6 or by allowing the dirt dropped into the said chamber from the cotton to be blown out past the damper 7a4, hinged, as at 705, and operated in the same manner as the bottom plates b5, already referred to. This damper 7a4 controls the passage K0, which is connected to the air-trunk BG, which has been already described.

The condenser-chamber N- is completely shut in by the walls 'n n n2 as and the sloping bottom pieces 'n3 and/1t4 and the swinging door ne, pivoted on the shaft nl and operated by the handswheel as, whereby any dirt that falls to the bottom ot' this chamber may be dumped out into the air-trunk BG when den sired. Vithin this chamber N and set transversely therein are the two condenser-rolls P and P, covered with wire-gauze, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The condenser-cham- -ber proper is inclosed in an outer chamber N2,

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shut in by the walls u8 and ng and opening directly into the air-trunk B6, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5.

The cotton is blown from the fan M to this condenser-chamber and passes between the condenser-rolls, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. The air is drawn through the wiregauze screen into the interiorof the condenserrolls and out through the ports N3 and N4. (Shown most clearly in Fig. 5.) These ports made in the Walls of the condenser-chamber are controlled by the valves I2 and P3, (see Fig. 5,) which valves are pivoted, as at p, and are regulated by means of the hand-levers p. By altering the opening of these ports the quantity of air passing through the condenserrolls may be varied at will, and, moreover, the bottom of the condenser-chamber may be blown through by simply closing these valves and allowing the air to go twice through the gauze and down past the door n. In order to prevent any of the cotton from falling in the bottom of the condenser-chamber before it reaches the condenser-rolls, a Hap or brush u is provided, as shown in Fig. l.

The cotton is doffed from the condenserrolls P and P' by means of the small rollers Q and Q, driven at a high rate of speed by means of the sprocket-chains q and q. From these smaller rolls Q and Q the cotton is fed into the closed duct R, whichv is curved, as'

shown, and from whence it is nipped in the requisite quantity between the small roller S and the lower roller T of the compress and is wound up into the bale U on the core u between the rolls T and T.

It. frequently becomes desirable to moisten the cotton somewhat, where the latter is eX- cessively dry, and for this purpose a steamjet w opens into a perforated box wo in the throat of the condenserchamber, and steam is sprayed into the cotton as it enters the condenser. A very small quantity of moisture will relieve the excessively dry cotton of its highly-charged electrical state, when the fibers will standout in every direction and cannot be satisfactorily operated upon. This steam-j et may also be used to quench any Iire that may occur in the condenser proper. The steam is supplied to this jet from the steampipe W, controlled by the valve w', as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

rIhe operation of the device, in brief, is as follows: The cotton is blown from the gin through the fines A and falls on the carrier D, part of the dirt falling through the carrier being carried off through the trough B4. The cotton which is piled up more or less irregularly on the carrier D is taken therefrom by means of the apron E, and the excess over the regulation feed to the said apron is wiped oif by the doffing-roller F, while at the same time it is partially combed and cleaned by means of the teeth e on the apron and the claws in the clotting-roller. The cotton left on the apron then passes through the fan-Y chamber, dropping much of the dirt therein into the VchamberK, while the cotton itself enters the condensing-chamber,where the air passes through the condensing-rolls', and the cotton is caught on the outside thereof, from whence it is removed and fed to the duct R, and from this duct it is drawn off by the press proper. The cotton may be wadded up in this closed duct R, as would happen if the press be stopped While the condenser is in operation, and yet be withdrawn therefrom without any difficulty when the press starts up again. Furthermore, the gins can continue in operation while the rest of the apparatus is stopped with no other effect than to pile up cotton in the chamber B0 on the carrier D, which can be later worked off gradually by means of the apron F. and the doffing-roller F.

Independent means for regulating the speed of the carrier D should be provided where it is desired to run the gins continuously and makingfrequent stops with the rest of the apparatus. f

It will be obvious that the gins may feed directly on the apron E instead of feeding on the carrier D, as shown, and thus this carrier D and connected parts may be omitted,`

when desired, and the apron E may be eX- t'ended or otherwise arranged in connection with the various parts to receive the cotton coming from the various gins. Moreover, the apron E may be arranged horizontally,- or approximately so, when the carrier is omitted, and thus the two parts D and E may be replaced by a single carrier.

It will also be obvious that chemicals adapted to extinguish fires may be fed through Athe pipes C and E or through branch pipes connected thereto or through separate pipes, if desired. Moreover, it will be obvious that in an apparatus of this character a great many modifications might be made by any skilled mechanic which could be yused without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In an apparatus for feeding cotton to roller-compresses, the combination with a chamber provided with a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions abutting against veach other with an air-passage beneath the same, of an endless apron carried in said chamber immediately above said false bottom, and a plurality of gins adapted to deliver the lint-cotton into said chamber above said endless apron, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus forfeeding cotton to roller-compresses, the combination with a chamber provided with a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions abutting against each other with an air-passage beneath the same, of an endless apron carried within said chamber immediately above said false bottom, gins adapted to deliver cotton IIO into said chamber above said apron, a condenser and vmeans for delivering cotton from said apron to said condenser and then to the roller-compresses, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for feeding cotton to roller-compresses, the combination with a chamber provided with air-passages through the upper portion thereof and a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions abutting against each other with an air-passage beneath the same, of an endless apron carried in said chamber above said false bottom, a plurality of gins adapted to deliver the lint-cotton into said chamber, a condenser and means for conveying the cotton from said chamber to said condenser and then to the roller-compresses, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a roller-compress and means for feeding cotton thereto, of a chamber provided with air-passages through the upper portion thereof and a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions abutting against each other, with an air-passage beneath the same, lever-arms for operating the pivoted portions of said false bottom, ues for conveying cotton into said chamber,an endless apron carried Within said chamber immediately above said false bottom, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for feeding cotton to roller compresses, the combination with a chamber provided with air-passages through the upper portion thereof and a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions abutting against each other with an air-passage beneath the same, gins, iiues for conveying the cotton from the gins, connected to the said chamber, an endless belt carried Within the lower portion of said chamber beneath the said fines, a condenser, means for conveying the cotton from the said chamber to said condenser and then to the roller-compresses, a main dust-trunk communicating with the air-passage beneath said chamber and with said condenser, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for feeding cotton to rollercompresses, the combination Wit-h a closed chamber connected to the gins and receiving cotton therefrom, of air-passages opening upward through the top of said chamber, steam-pipes opening into said chamber and adapted to either moisten' the lint-cotton or serve as a tire-extinguisher as may be desired, and a plurality of pivoted plates or boards abutting against each other and forming a false bottom for said chamber, With an air-passage beneath the same, an endless apron carried in said chamber beneath the said gin connections, a condenser, means for conveying the cotton from said apron to the condenser and then to the compresses, substantially as described. I

7. In an apparatus for feeding cotton from giusto roller-compresses,the combination With a closed chamber connected to the gins, and

provided with air-passages through the upper portion thereof and a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions with an airpassage beneath the same, of steam-pipes opening in said air-passages, of an endless apron adapted to move in said chamber beneath the gin connections, a second endless apron for taking the cotton from the first apron, means for limiting the supply of cotton delivered by said second apron, a condenser, means for delivering the cotton from said second apron to said condenser and then to the roller-compresses, substantially as described.

S. In an apparatus for feeding cotton from gins to roller-compresses, the combination With a closed chamber connected to the gins, and provided with air-passages through the upper portion thereof anda false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions with an air-passage beneath the same of steampipes opening in the said air-passages, of an endless apron adapted to move in said chamber beneath the gin connections, a second endless apron for taking the cotton from the iirst apron, means for limiting the supply of cotton delivered by said second apron, a condenser, a fan interposed between said second apron and said condenser for blowing cotton from said second apron to said condenser,

' and means for con veying the cotton from said condenser to the roller-compresses, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus for feeding cotton from gins to roller-compresses, the combination with a closed chamber connected to the gins, and provided with air-passages through the upper portion thereof and a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions with an air-passage beneath the same, of steampipes opening in said air-passages, of an endless apron adapted to move in said chamber beneath the gin connections, a second endless ap'ron for taking the cotton from the first apron, means for limiting thesupply of cotton delivered by said second apron, a condenser having. air passages andvalves 'controlling the supply of air in the said condenser, a fan interposed between said second apron and sai-d condenser for blowing cotton from said second apron to said condenser, a main dust-trunk and troughs leading from said closed chamber beneath the false bottom thereof, the condenser, and from below the said fan into said main trunk and valves in the said troughs for con trolling the flow of the air and dust through the same, substantially as described. i

l0. In an apparatus for feeding cotton from gins to roller-compresses, the combination with a closed chamber connected to the gins, and provided With air-passages through the upper portion thereof and a false bottom composed of a plurality of pivoted portions with an air-passage beneath the same, oi steampipes opening in the said air-passages, an

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endless apron moving in said'ohainber be-4 neath the gin connections, a second endless apron taking vthe cotton from the first apron, means for limiting the supply of Cotton delivered by saidseoond apron, a condenser having air-passages and valves controlling the supply of air in the said condenser, a fan interposed between said second apron and said condenser for biowing cotton from said second apron to said condenser, and a 1o11e1'- 1o compress receiving the cotton i'n a bat from said condenser, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES L. BESSONETTE. Witnesses:

PERoY C. BOWEN, JOHN C. WILSON. 

